Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?

Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?

MS12

Genre

Animation, Documentary

Director

Michel Gondry

Run time

1h 28min

Cast

Noam Chomsky

"Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?" is essentially a dialogue between the eccentric French filmmaker Michel Gondry and the American linguist, philosopher and political activist Noam Chomsky. Chomsky’s impact on contemporary linguistics is tremendous, particularly with regard to his work in generative grammar and his study of the common structural underpinnings shared by all languages. Chomsky’s language theories take centre here, though the film also mixes in his personal thoughts, recollections and musings. True to his erratic and creative style, Gondry uses animation throughout, relying on drawings and doodles to convey complex ideas. This, along with Gondry’s genuine sense of curiosity is what helps the audience understand Chomsky’s challenging ideas without oversimplifying them. Adding to the film’s charm are numerous humorous misunderstandings resulting from Gondry’s limited grasp on the English language and his thick, yet adorable French accent. All things considered, the film constitutes a true intellectual treat with great visual appeal.

France 2014

Genre

Animation, Documentary

Director

Michel Gondry

Run time

1h 28min

Cast

Noam Chomsky

"Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?" is essentially a dialogue between the eccentric French filmmaker Michel Gondry and the American linguist, philosopher and political activist Noam Chomsky. Chomsky’s impact on contemporary linguistics is tremendous, particularly with regard to his work in generative grammar and his study of the common structural underpinnings shared by all languages. Chomsky’s language theories take centre here, though the film also mixes in his personal thoughts, recollections and musings. True to his erratic and creative style, Gondry uses animation throughout, relying on drawings and doodles to convey complex ideas. This, along with Gondry’s genuine sense of curiosity is what helps the audience understand Chomsky’s challenging ideas without oversimplifying them. Adding to the film’s charm are numerous humorous misunderstandings resulting from Gondry’s limited grasp on the English language and his thick, yet adorable French accent. All things considered, the film constitutes a true intellectual treat with great visual appeal.

France 2014

Info

Rating

Under 12 Not Recommended

Production year

2013

Global distributor

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Local distributor

Pimedate Ööde Filmifestival MTÜ

In cinema

11/20/2014